There have been utilized buoys which are released from submarines at the time of distress and which remain connected to the submarine by a conductor cable permitting communication with the interior of the submarine. The presence of the connection cable produces constraints which are eliminated in utilizing distress buoys which float freely at the surface.
The buoy of the invention is of the latter type.
There are known separable distress buoys essentially constituted as hollow bodies containing signal transmitters, for example, of visible signals such as smoke or luminous signals, or radio signals.
There are also known such buoys constituted by a spherical body, the spherical shape presenting the best resistance to crushing during immersion. Nevertheless, the spherical shape also presents the disadvantage of lacking stability when the buoy floats at the surface of the water and drifts, this being very serious since if the buoy capsizes, it can no longer be discovered.